A Delhi traffic jam worsened on October 8 as opposition leaders and supporters continued a protest for the third consecutive day and moved towards Rajghat, prompting extensive road closures, barricading and police deployment across central parts of the capital, according to Jagran – New Delhi.
The India bloc demonstration was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The march, involving leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, disrupted movement on several routes as the procession and security arrangements occupied key road stretches.
The heaviest restrictions were reported around Connaught Place, where the entire outer circle was barricaded and closed near the Moit’s restaurant area. The closure led to long queues of vehicles and slowed traffic around one of Delhi’s busiest commercial and transport zones. Large numbers of protesters, police personnel and media workers gathered in the area, adding to congestion.
The report said the opposition leaders’ convoy later reached Rajghat, while police closed routes along the movement corridor. Security personnel were deployed at multiple locations, and surveillance was carried out using drones. The combination of barricades, crowd movement and vehicle diversions affected ordinary commuters travelling through central Delhi.
The disruption was also felt by passengers travelling to railway stations. According to the report, some passengers who had remained stuck in traffic for hours left their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot. The account highlights how a centrally located political mobilisation can quickly affect people whose journeys are unrelated to the protest, particularly when closures extend across major arterial roads and access routes.
Visuals from the protest showed opposition leaders travelling by bus, heavy crowds of party workers and police personnel, and paramilitary forces positioned near Connaught Place. Protesters were also seen passing in front of the Civic Centre. The police presence was intended to manage the gathering and secure the routes around the march.
A separate demonstration by Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha workers was reported near the Congress headquarters. The protesters alleged that Rahul Gandhi had behaved improperly with a woman constable. The report did not provide an independent account of the allegation or details of any police action arising from it.
The traffic restrictions came as the opposition’s protest entered its third day. The immediate operational measures reported by authorities were route closures, barricading, extensive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, and drone monitoring. The report did not specify when the restrictions would be lifted or provide an estimated time for traffic to return to normal.
